discussion Suppliers for small nuts / bolts / rivets etc

[Guest]

I'm looking for a source of miniature nuts and bolts for scale modelling and also rivet heads.

I know you can use dressmaking pins and blobs of glue etc to represent rivets, but is there anything made specifically for the purpose as often a smaller rivet head is required. I can't use litho plate etc and the dress pattern makers wheel to make the indentations.

Also I was after a cheap source of very small nuts and bolts - approx 2mm across the flats and larger - upto 3mm - possibly smaller BA sizes.

Local model shop does them but hate to spend 55p + for tiny sellophane bag.

Also small Jump rings and rod eyes....

If anyone knows where to look I'd be gratefull

 

[Guest]

These guys are usefull for BA stuff but some of the things you are describing are smaller:

http://www.maccmodels.co.uk/

I do remember Johnny mentioning some very small nuts on his Kubelwagon build. Have a read through that again or PM Johnny for his supplier.

As for rivets have a look at my Ben Ain model coaster build thread. I used cyano gel for the rivet detail on the hull. I also used cut down dressmaking pins for the rivets around the forward bulkheads. These are more regular than the blobs of glue but the glue is a lot faster to apply.

It depends a bit on the application, for an old steam coaster a bit more random riveting is probably more appropriate anyway so it doesn't look out of place.

 

[wonwinglo]

Model engineer suppliers are helpful,Nexus used to do small packs of them as well,and that Whistons company are worth trying.

 

[Greyhead]

For very small nuts / bolts (down to 16BA) and other things try:

“ITEMS” MAIL ORDER LTD.

46 St Martins Road

North Leverton

Retford

Nottinghamshire

DN22 0AU

Tel. / Fax. 01427 884319

Unfortunately they don’t have a web site but the service is excellent, they accept credit card and it’s usually next day delivery.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the links - I'll check those out, also I found this site that has some prices but 19p per bolt for the smaller sizes...

http://www.kentscale.co.uk/FASTENINGS/BABRASS/BA%20BRASS%20HEX%20STD.htm

This site is quite usefull:

http://www.squirestools.com/

They dont have a functioning website yet but have a mail order catalogue full of hard to find bits and pieces brass etch parts etc too. Sheet brass, strip etc.

I'll hunt around for various brass pins and dressmaking pins for the rivets.

 

[wonwinglo]

Grahame,thank you that useful company has been added to our 'Modellers Resource Directory' certainly another useful addition.

 

[Guest]

Forgive me guys, but i have no clue what size BA and 1/16th nuts and bolt are.

What are the equivelants to m1-m2-m3?

I have been after some m1/m2/m3 nuts and bolts for ages.

Any help would be awesome.

 

[Guest]

Forgive me guys, but i have no clue what size BA and 1/16th nuts and bolt are.What are the equivelants to m1-m2-m3?

I have been after some m1/m2/m3 nuts and bolts for ages.

Any help would be awesome.

This site gives some useful info on BA thread sizes,

http://www.bhi.co.uk/hints/bathrd.htm

You can get Small BA cheesehead screws in reasonable quantities quite cheaply - but for a scale look I was after hexagonal head screws which seem to be pretty costly as there doesn't seem a great demand for them.

Small BA threads are used in a lot of old car gauges and instruments. M3 screws and bolts are widely available for smaller sizes M1.6 and M2

http://www.screwsline.com/a2_stainless_machine_cheese.php

 

[Guest]

If you want hex head then use BA nuts. If you want them to look like screw heads then fill in the centres.

 

[wonwinglo]

Someone once described AF and metric bolts and threads as imposters of the good old BA and BSF,remember the programme where dear Fred Dibnah visited a small factory that produced nothing but the older threaded nuts,bolts etc.

To confuse things there is also UNF unified fine and a few more oddballs in the system.

 

[Guest]

I was lucky enought to come through my training as we were in the process of changing from Imperial measurements to Metric.

There are a staggering number of differrent thread types in the old imperial system, especially when you get into pipe fitings and gas threads etc.

You would be amazed now how many people on the ship who do not know what I am talking about when I refer to BA threads, and that includes Electrical Engineers!!!!

 

[Guest]

The nuts I use comes from www.drafmodel.pl and comes in sizes from 0,6mm up to 2,5mm.From 0,8mm you can have them with or without centerhole.

The sizes are 0,6-0,8-1,0-1,2-1,5-2,0 and 2,5mm

For bolts down to 0,8mm I went to my local watchmakerstore and he had a lot of stuff for the modeller

The bolts I got was 0,8mmx5mm and the price was nothing to talk about.

It was around 0,15 euro each.

 

[Guest]

on my 3" scale burrell traction engine the lastest project i have made everything in the way of nuts and bolts, as i can make it to what size i want.

chris

 

[Guest]

Suppliers for small nuts / bolts/rivets etc

I'm looking for a source of miniature nuts and bolts for scale modelling and also rivet heads.I know you can use dressmaking pins and blobs of glue etc to represent rivets, but is there anything made specifically for the purpose as often a smaller rivet head is required. I can't use litho plate etc and the dress pattern makers wheel to make the indentations.

Also I was after a cheap source of very small nuts and bolts - approx 2mm across the flats and larger - upto 3mm - possibly smaller BA sizes.

Local model shop does them but hate to spend 55p + for tiny sellophane bag.

Also small Jump rings and rod eyes....

If anyone knows where to look I'd be gratefull

Try NEXUS Tel 01233 713665 or request a catlogue thro the net at sales@nexusmodels.com they have all the small metric nuts bolts but no BA listed (but ask them) they also do various rivets. If you find somebody doing 10 BA nuts and bolts at reasonable prices please let me know.

 

[Guest]

Try NEXUS Tel 01233 713665 or request a catlogue thro the net at sales@nexusmodels.com they have all the small metric nuts bolts but no BA listed (but ask them) they also do various rivets. If you find somebody doing 10 BA nuts and bolts at reasonable prices please let me know.

Try http://www.kentscale.co.uk/ they sell BA screws in most sizes down to 14 and the prices seem reasonable too.

 

[Guest]

on my 3" scale burrell traction engine the lastest project i have made everything in the way of nuts and bolts, as i can make it to what size i want.chris

I wouldn't have thought a 3" scale traction engine would have much requirement for 16BA screws though! That'd be a task trying to turn some of those on your lathe. Approx 1.5mm across the flats and 0.75mm across the threads...can't even see the threads on those.

 

[Guest]

I've got some of those card bolt heads from draf model on order. Regarding small rivets - does anyone know where you can purchase sheets of photoetched rivets?

 

[Guest]

I made mine from blobs of cyano gel.

Depends on the scale of course but the effect isn't too bad

 

[Guest]

I make mine with a hole puncher (1mm)

Punchers can also be made from syringe needles, just cut off the sharp tip and make the remaining "tube" sharp.

 

[Guest]

Hi

I build live steam and always traction engines I use all the way to 18 BA.

If your looking for small metric try www.rswww.com.

For BA size's try www.blackgates.co.uk youl have to order a catalogue but the people are the most help I have ever found.

For scale BA is the way to go, I have a scale chart lurking about some place and BA fits most pre war from 1 inch to the foot to 4 inch to the foot.

I as a good rule never use metric, its just not scale for much of anything.

Try this link for good quality work http://craftsmanshipmuseum.com/Kieffer.htm

His work is simply the best i have ever seen and iv been making steam engines for 30 years, theres also a nut and bolt you just wont credit as possible.

happy new year Kevin